Les polluants perfluorés (PFAS) : une menace croissante pour l’environnement

PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances) are chemical compounds used for their non-stick, water-repellent, and heat-resistant properties. They are found in many everyday products:

• Non-stick kitchen utensils; • Water-resistant textiles; • Food packaging; • Fire-fighting foams; • DIY materials.

Some PFAS such as TFA (trifluoroacetic acid) are also used in the manufacture of pesticides and medicines, or result from the degradation of chemicals from the same family. This is notably the case of the herbicide flufenacet, used on potato and cereal crops.

PFAS hardly degrade in the environment. Once released, they persist for decades and contaminate surface and groundwater, air, and soil.

Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS) are the two most studied PFAS, as they are also among the most persistent in the environment.

PFAS accumulate in living organisms and the food chain. They can also travel long distances through air or water.

• Through food, especially meat and seafood for PFOS and PFOA (source: EFSA); • Via tap water; • Through certain clothing, home textiles, or construction and DIY materials.

• 7 PFAS were found in over 40% of adults; • 6 were detected in children; • PFOA and PFOS were detected in 100% of adults and children analyzed.

• Certain cancers; • Fertility disorders or impaired fetal development; • Increased cholesterol levels; • Higher obesity risk; • Weakened immune system.

To better understand our exposure and accumulation levels and understand their health effects, PFAS have been integrated into the European human biomonitoring program.

In France, PFAS monitoring focuses on river water, lakes, and groundwater. Regular sampling allows detection of five perfluorinated substances.

• PFOS (perfluorooctane sulfonic acid), found in 40% of surface water samples; • PFHxA (perfluorohexanoic acid), present in 37% of cases; • PFOA (perfluorooctanoic acid), detected in 27% of samples.

Groundwater aquifers are also affected: PFOS is found in 20% of analyses and PFOA in 12%. (source SDES).

Given the extent of the pollution, measures are already in place to limit PFAS production and use. In France and Europe, some PFAS are already banned or regulated.

The interministerial PFAS action plan of April 2024 aims to reduce risks at the source, continue monitoring, and establish health reference values to assess potential impacts on human health. This plan provides for determining maximum concentration values to be observed in rivers and groundwater for major PFAS.

Industrial sites that manufacture, use, or discharge PFAS into water must monitor their releases, analyze the presence of these substances, and implement actions to reduce them.